7 month newsletter.

My Dearest Beatrix,

Trixie, today you are seven months old! It's a little scary to me because that means you are more than half a year old. I feel like this past half year has gone by so fast! I look at pictures of you as a newborn and I think that you look so different now, and yet I think you look so much the same. I wonder if I will feel the same way when you are 2 or 3?
This month has been a busy, like all of the others. We went to Canada for our Babypalooza 2008 tour and you saw so many babies! We met your newest little cousin Larkin, and we saw your other cousin Liam. We also saw your little friend Jacob. Then in Calgary we saw another new cousin Tanner, your older cousin Amelia, and many more friends, Katie, Charlotte, April and Kaia. You loved all of the babies, but I think you were most enraptured by your older cousin Tessa who's 4. You watched her every move and I could just tell that you were so smitten with her. I think you two will be great friends. I am sure too, at some point Tessa will think that you are a bother, but don't worry my little love, she will still be your big cousin and she will still love you.
While we were on vacation you learned to sit up on your own and you love your new found perspective. You aren't yet crawling, but you have mastered the backwards shimmy on your tummy. Rolling is still only done when you don't want to be on your tummy, so you roll front to back, you have rolled back to front, but only once. I think that your big diaper bum gets in the way, so you don't do it often. In time I am sure.
You've started talking up a storm. Mama, Dada and MMMMMM are your words of choice now. You will give me a hearty "MMMM" when you are hungry, and you will admonish me with an angry "Mama!" when you are impatient or upset. It's quite adorable and I have to kiss your face a million times when you do it. I am still working on baby signing with you and I can see that you are able to understand me. You will use the milk sign occasionally, and we are also working on 'more', 'please' and 'toilet'. We've added 'toilet' to your repitoire because I've finally started elimination communication with you. So far we've had some success. You will pee on your potty a couple of times a day, and I can get you to poo on it if I catch you in time. I think you are mostly amused becasue you are sitting on something and if I keep you distracted with toys and books you are more than happy to sit there for a long time. I try not to leave you there too long though becasue then your poor little bum gets a red ring from the potty.
Chachi continues to amuse you to no end. I find you looking for him in the house and the manic giggles and squeals that come out of you when you see them are so precious! You giggle like crazy when he licks your toes and I have trouble chastizing him for it because it makes you so happy, but I don't like him to lick people all of the time. Right now we have Lily visiting here too and you are curious about her, but you still love Chachi best. Lily serves her purpose in your little mind though becasue when she and Chachi play you get so excited! Both of the dogs have realized that you also serve a purpose for them. You are the supplier of Cheerios. They know to linger around you when you are eating them, because inevitably many will land on the ground, and apparently Cheerios are little nuggets of gold to chihuahuas.
Along with Cheerios you are eating many kinds of vegetables and fruits. You love bananas and avacados best and will devour a whole banana in a sitting. Carrots also rank high on your favourites list, with applesauce; however you aren't a big eater, you like to sample and taste, which is fine with me. (unless of course it's a banana then all bets are off and it's gone!)